1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control circuits and, more particularly, to a circuit for controlling the charging current supplied to a plurality of battery loads in accordance with a predetermined program.
2. Technical Considerations
Sealed wet cell batteries, for example, sealed twelve-volt automobile batteries are advantageous in that they do not require periodic filling with water or other fluid since the fluid is sealed in a battery housing and cannot escape through evaporation. However, sealed wet cell batteries require some steps to be taken to insure that they remain in a fully charged condition, while they are stored for shipment or sale. Thus, sealed wet cell batteries of the type described have created the need for some means to keep the batteries fully charged and ready for use while stored.
In many industries, for example, in the communications industry, a plurality of batteries are required to be maintained in a fully charged condition. The batteries, are periodically tested and are charged by connecting a battery charging circuit to each battery. Sometimes an entire string of batteries are charged simultaneously.
Where many batteries or many strings or banks of batteries are required to be kept in a fully charged condition, it would be an advantage to have a battery charging system which operates automatically periodically to charge the batteries or banks of batteries by establishing sequentially a plurality of charging circuits in accordance with a programmed cycle.